The future’s so bright we’ve gotta wear shades!
Bright new beginnings are what Spring is all about but they’re also what’s driving immedia right now as our new office space takes shape on the crest of one of Durban’s hottest locations: Ridgeside. September also marks the local launch of the new Apple iPhone 4 that’ll be available from the end of the month. This will be closely followed by another local launch, this time of the iPad.
Finally we get to see why 4-million iPads have already been sold globally and a projected 3-billion apps would have been downloaded globally by end of September. With all this to celebrate, it seems it’s high time to get into the swing of Spring and read all about the new crop of Apple tools that’ll soon be on your doorstep.
The iPod’s Second Coming
It’s the start of a busy gadget season that usually kicks off with a frisson of excitement with a certain ‘fruit’ company’s music product refreshes. Apple sent out invitations that simply had a guitar with an Apple logo replacing the soundhole on it, inviting the media to a Stevenote on Wednesday, 1 September 2010.
The iPod has been pretty much a Cinderella device lately while its cousins the iPhone and iPad have been stealing all the attention and oxygen, so much so that prognosticators and analysts now view the iPod segment as a mature market that’s on the decline for Apple, soon to be replaced by iPhones.
So, the consumer king is dead?
I don’t think so.
This is what you’ve got to look forward to
Here are a couple of hot new features of the iPhone 4 that will enhance your user experience of this brand new Smartphone… if that’s possible!
- Multitasking: A simple task switcher means that all you have to do is double click your home button, and you get a list of running apps.
- iAd advertising: You can watch videos, play games, and even buy apps from within these ads.
- Fast app switching: All apps can now be frozen, in full, so that when you reopen them they’re restored to exactly the state they were in when they were closed.
iPad, now the #1 educational device in the USA
immedia Head Strategist @anicehassim says the iPad also has great potential in our local market, in terms of its sturdy yet user-friendly frame and the fact that it doesn’t require complicated technical support. This in comparison to existing PC labs in schools which may initially work well but require ongoing maintenance, costly repairs as well as skilled technicians to carry them out.
Within the South African context, @anicehassim says deploying this kind of device into the local market makes perfect sense when you consider the cost of traditional hard copy text books, as opposed to the much cheaper digital variety that can be downloaded onto the iPad at a fraction of the cost. “It’s this kind of affordability that is going to give a far broader range of learners access to a whole new world of education,” he says.
Update on our new space
In this first of a series of three articles about the new immedia building, we talk to immedia director and Project Manager of this exciting next step in immedia’s evolution Bevan Andriés about why this is such an important milestone, not only for the company but its clients too…
Q. What is the motivation/reason for the new office premises?
A. We have outgrown our current office space and are operating from two different floors, which is obviously far from ideal.
Q. What benefits is this new space going bring?
A. This new space is going to be a great new home for the immedia family, with an open-plan office design and workflow, along with a communal ‘chill space’ and balcony for important social time. Our state-of-the-art boardroom, bar and meeting rooms will also facilitate professional yet informal meeting spaces for our clients and partners – all with stunning views over the Bay.
Q. How does it fit into immedia’s long-term strategic plans?
A. There is a strong sense of ‘new beginnings’ and in the rebuilding/repositioning of our company at the moment. Watching our new building being constructed is a special physical/outward manifestation of all that’s happening internally.
Q. What gives this new building particular significance?
A. Ridgeside has magnificent views over the entire Bay of Durban. This is significant for our company, which is proudly rooted in KZN, and Durban in particular. We strongly believe in building our future for ourselves and our children right here in Durbs.
